Weekend Open Forum: What's your all-time favorite video game console?

pacman (and ms pacman)

i still play these two games via DOSB0x 0.72 over windows vista x86, windows 7 x86/x64.

This is a toughie. First was the Telstar Pong, I believe. Then came the Atari 2600, which was the NES of its day, and its bazillion games. Then another Christmas brought its replacement, the Atari 5200, which actually had amazing capabilities but probably the worst controller ever made by man (those side buttons..I still have nightmares). Nearly a decade later I plunked down money earned from my first job for an NES - I was late to the party, but I didn't regret it. FF 3, Master Blaster, the ubiquitous Super Mario Brothers and I forget what else..all amazing. Then my best friend got a Sega Genesis with its face-melting, arcade-perfect graphics and sound. What a beast..I borrowed it for a while but never owned one. The last console I ever paid for was a Sega Nomad that I bought used off my buddy, along with a couple games. There was a good RPG for it..think it was called Secret of the Oasis or something like that. Along the way I also had Atari home computers and PCs, and I used those far more than any console...except maybe the 2600. So, for the nostalgia, sheer number of titles and overwhelming place in my childhood, and since we are talking favorite <i>console</i> - well, the 2600 just has to be the winner. I suspect only those who've been pre-teens when a whole new level of game technology debuts can understand the experience: "transcendent" is about the only word that does it justice. If you were the kind of kid who hated sports and took comic books seriously it only amplified the impact. Sadly, I have been unable to really enjoy many console games since the debut of the PS1 with its thumb-hating billion button controller (which set the template for all that came later). By the time it arrived I'd been into PC gaming for a couple years and just couldn't learn to use those weird boomerangs.

PC

Dark Cloud 2 PS2

best game ever - system shock 2. never been surpassed.

Even though I am an Xbox 360 guy now. I originally hated Xbox and loved my PS2. With Grand Theft Auto and the original Killzone being the highlights of that time. It was my favorite system even though I did love the N64 and Super Nintendo, heck, even Sega with the CD attachment AKA Sega CD.

Sega Genesis

N64 The legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time and Majora's Mask

I have never owned a consoIe.

My dad refused to buy me a console. Instead he taught me how to build my own PCs. He kept me well supplied new PCs, and upgrades in between. He even helped me crank up my 386 33mhz up to an overheating 133 mhz beast when I was 7 (ish).

I'll do the same with my kids. My computer knowledge gave me a huge advantage over my peers, and I plan to give the same advantage to my children.

Metal Gear Solid on PSX, amazing game!!!

My first game console would be Atari but my favorite would be SNES.

SNES was my favorite, and I played all the consoles including the old atari. SNES had the best game library imo, and the console itself is perfect for side-scrolling games.

The nes has a great deal of nostalgia, I believe we got ours in 87 when I was 4. But the snes was a welcomed upgrade. Link to the past, mario cart, rock and roll racing, the new super mario with yoshi and a sweet saving system. Zombies ate my neighbors, street fight 2! I am going to have to go with the snes too. Twisted metal and tekken were my favorite ps games. I wasn't impressed with the n64's new zelda or mario. I liked turok and I think it might have had super smash bros. Pretty much drifted away from consoles but I shall return when the next generation comes out.

I also played a lot of soul calibur on the dreamcast with my friends in my high school days.

Commodore 64 - Pharaoh's Curse, Lode Runner, Impossible Mission, and Racing Destruction Set were some of my favorites.

Coming in a close second is the ColecoVision - Zaxxon, Mr.Do, Ladybug, and Mouse Trap are some i remember best.

I used to love the Coin-Op. Very few games have that arcade feel to them anymore. One gem i did happen across, Getaway for the iOS. Reminds me of 80's type gameplay.

Mmmmm, nostalgia...

Socom 2 on PS2... The PS2 is by far my favorite console, and Socom 2 was my favorite game to date. I was ranked 16th in the world on it at one point.

I think my first console was the NES but none of the games worked all that well. Then I got either the SNES or MegaDrive and didn't play anything else until the PS1 was released. I still love the 16-bit stuff like Sonic and Contra though; I played the sh** out of all those games when I was a kid. I will actually play that stuff now from time to time in the form of PC emulation and disc-based collections.

I would have to say the N 64. I spent so many hours on Turok, Turok Rage wars, super smash, mario kart, perfect dark and 007, Rush 2, Quak's, Duke nukems, and many others i cant remeber off the top of my head.

ColecoVision I may have spent more hours on but over all my PS3 gets the nod

Playstation! Metal Gear Solid, Resident Evil 2, Tomb Raider, Tekken.

Oh, and Gran Turismo 2.